Direct-Drive Gimbal Mounts offer 1.0-0.13 µrad resolution.

Press Release Summary:



AMG series provides angular position, rate, and acceleration for system development and production testing. Suited for directing optics, lasers, antennas, and sensors to precise pointing angles, products utilize direct-drive, brushless, slotless torque motors with rare-earth magnets and angular transducers coupled directly to precision shafts for 360° continuous motion. Zero-backlash units feature cog-free design and accommodate loads up to 600 mm dia.



Original Press Release:



Direct-Drive Gimbal Mounts Maximize Positioning and Velocity Performance



o Continuous 360° rotation of azimuth and elevation including built-in slip ring
o High accuracy angular position and rate capability
o Direct-drive brushless servomotors result in zero backlash
o Cog-free design for outstanding velocity stability
o Accommodate loads up to 600 mm diameter
o Low maintenance and high reliability provide the lowest cost of ownership

Aerotech's AMG position and rate gimbal mounts provide ultra-precise angular position, rate, and acceleration for development and production testing of a wide range of systems. The AMG series is ideal for directing optics, lasers, antennas, and sensors at high speed to very precise pointing angles. Typical applications include missile seeker test and calibration, LIDAR, electro-optical sensor and FLIR testing, airborne targets tracking, optical testing of space-based sensors in a vacuum, and angular testing of inertial sensors such as gyros, MEMS, accelerometers, and inertial reference units. The AMG gimbal design incorporates recent Aerotech rotary stage design improvements to provide high performance at an affordable price. The finest quality motors, bearings, and encoders are integrated into precision-machined housings to ensure peak performance. The AMG position and rate gimbals provide precise angular motion with the high performance customers expect from Aerotech products.

Accurate 360° Positioning and Rate Generation
Direct-drive brushless torque motors, with rare-earth magnets and high-accuracy angular transducers, are coupled directly to precision shafts for accurate and smooth 360° continuous motion. The absence of gear trains and other drive mechanisms eliminates position error contributions due to mechanical hysteresis and backlash. Directly coupled high-resolution position transducers ensure highly accurate and repeatable positioning.

A wide-range of performance feedback grades is available. Typical line gimbal resolution ranges from 1.0 to 0.13 µrad with Aerotech controls. The built-in azimuth slip ring provides for continuous rotation with no cable wrap up.

Direct-Drive Motors for Outstanding Control
To maximize positioning and velocity performance, AMG gimbal mounts utilize Aerotech's high torque S-series brushless, slotless servomotors. These motors have all of the advantages of a brushless direct-drive motor - no brushes to wear, no gear trains to maintain, and high acceleration and high speeds. Since it is a slotless, ironless design, there is zero cogging, meaning that there is absolutely no torque ripple. This results in smoother motion throughout travel and more precise positioning. These motors are available in different winding configurations to work with high or low voltage power supplies.

Superior Mechanical Design Features
Large diameter, matched-set ABEC-7 bearings maximize performance with respect to wobble, moment stiffness, and rotating friction. The large diameter bearing permits large payload capacity without compromising performance. Casting gimbal yokes provide high stiffness to maintain gimbal accuracy under dynamic conditions. Travel limits, hard stops, and brakes are available as standard options.

Mirror and Alternate Payload Accommodation
A variety of mirror cell diameters are available for standard optic applications. We also provide for custom payload attachment solutions to accommodate various device interfaces. Each gimbal mirror cell can be modified or replaced with different shaped cells to accommodate sensors or other odd shaped payloads. We understand customer payloads vary and our engineers have a variety of solutions to implement offset CG payloads.

To learn more about the AMG, please contact Steve McLane at Aerotech, Inc., 101 Zeta Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15238, 412-963-7470, 412-963-7459, sales@aerotech.com, www.aerotech.com.

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